Keeping an eye on your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is supposed to keep your Hyundai Ioniq running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible malfunction, that’s why our team has made this content to help you in the event you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Hyundai Ioniq . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will highlight the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Hyundai Ioniq? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Hyundai Ioniq

So we start our guideline with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Hyundai Ioniq . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. In fact, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major malfunction. Below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the most important possible source of such an odor. In fact, the function of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not damaged, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, as time passes, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and control the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Hyundai Ioniq. You risk pre-wearing your gearbox if you don’t take care of it.
  • The accessory belt: Although rarer, it is possible with wear and tear that your belt, which is principally done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Hyundai Ioniq.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case occurs specifically on Hyundai Ioniq that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car contrary to what you might believe will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be impacted by this phenomenon. The rubber will disintegrate little by little and with the rise in heat of the fluid that circulates in it, it may melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, specifically present on Hyundai Ioniq’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body parts that may have been bent may rub against one of your wheels and give off that burnt plastic smell. This may also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Hyundai Ioniq?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Hyundai Ioniq . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to get rid of the tracks that don’t concern you and fix your issue quickly. If your Hyundai Ioniq smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Hyundai Ioniq.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Hyundai Ioniq, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you have any further questions about the Hyundai Ioniq, do not hesitate to consult our Hyundai Ioniq category.